Up in flames
by Zoroark Girl
Summary: Jinjira Black knew something wasn't right even before the first word escaped from Ghetsis's lips during his speech at Accumula Town. She sets off to find out the truth about Team Plasma, and ends up traveling with N, a boy who claims to hear Pokemon and seems to have an interest in Jinjira. The longer she travels with N, the more she finds herself being drawn closer and closer to
1. Chapter 1

_**Up in flames**_

Summary:

Jinjira Black knew something wasn't right even before the first word escaped from Ghetsis's lips during his speech at Accumula Town. She sets off to find out the truth about Team Plasma, and ends up traveling with N, a boy who claims to hear Pokemon and seems to have an interest in Jinjira. The longer she travels with N, the more she finds herself being drawn closer and closer to him, as if she were being controlled. She realizes the true reason behind this so-called 'control' and learns his past with Team Plasma, but despite that, she feels an even stronger attraction to N. Jinjira finds out his 'ability,' and finds out her feelings for N may all be controlled. Every move, every thought, every emotion may all be controlled. Soon, N asks her an impossible choice, and Jinjira must choose between the two equally dangerous futures put before her.

Will she win control over her own mind again and convince N of Team Plasma's bloodthirsty intentions for Unova _and _satisfy her desire for vengeance against Team Plasma due to an incident in her past, or will N's manipulation win her over, making her his princess...his Queen...his merrionette?

**Main Characters:**

_**Jinjira Black**_

Age: 16

Stubborn, feisty, flirty, Scottish, fast-talking, and very voilent when angered, Jinjira Black is more like a Blaziken than a human! Jinjira is no princess, knows how to (and will) fight for what she believes is right. She is as tomboy as a girl can get, refusing to wear a skirt, dress, or even enything pink or lace! Orphaned when she was young, Jinjira grew up in a forest, where the Pokemon there raised her as if she were their own child. She gained many Pokemon talents, and can fight as well as a Lucario, more agile than a Liepard, and even climb like a Primeape! She travels with N, who is seemingly flirting with her, and they both stumble upon Team Plasma's evil plot. Her hatred of Team Plasma only fuels her ambitions to stop them, and she isn't about to let N's flattery stop her.

_**N Harmonia**_

Age: 17

With innocent blue eyes and a heart-melting smile, N is quite the flatterer! He meets Jinjira and travels with her, agreeing to help her uncover the true purpose of Team Plasma. He has the unusual ability to completely control body and mind, making even the most stubborn people his mindless puppets. He realizes his own attraction to Jinjira, and tries using his gift of hearing Pokemon to talk to her Absol, attempting to gain both Absol's and Jinjira's trust. Only when N and Jinjira realize Team Pasma's true goals does N notice Jinjira's deep hatred of the group. He realizes her want for vengeance against the evil group, and decides to help her, but is he helping her _stop_ them, or is he planning something else?

Read this to find out, dammit!

**A small blue flame rose from the palm of Jinjira Black's hand. **

**She gazed into it, and it somehow relaxed her. Absol cried out in protest. It never liked it when Jinjira did this trick, but Absol knew it never hurt her. Jinjira always had this ability, but she had a hard time controling it. If she was angry, a wild blue inferno would spiral instanly from her fingertips and spread all around, and she could extinguish her blue (and it's always blue) fire at will. **

**Jinjira looked into a puddle on the stone pathway. A girl with a mask of freckles and skin white as ivory, blazing red hair in a braid down to her waist, piercing green eyes that seemed to be glowing, blue jeans, military boots, and a pitch-Black T-Shirt looked back up at her. Everyone told her she looked like her mother, with her high cheekbones and almost skeletal features, she was almost a perfect reflection, except for her red hair. **

**Absol suddenly poked Jinjira's leg with its horn and, as soon as it got her attention, tilted its head over to the plaza, where a man stepped up to speak.**

**"My name is Ghetsis," he began, his fiery red eyes scanning the crowd.**

**"Arceus, help us all," Jinjira said, loud enough for Ghetsis to hear her. From then on, he watched her out of the corner of his eye. "I represent Team Plasma. I am here to talk to you about Pokemon Liberation," he said. He had such an arresting voice everyone in the crowd instantly shut up. Jinjira staightened up. **_**Team Plasma?! It can't be! **_** she desperately tried to erase the name from her mind, only to fail.**

**"I'm sure you all believe Pokemon and People are partners, we have come to live together because we want and need each other. However, is that really the truth? Have you ever considered that perhaps we humans...only assume that this is the truth?" he asked, pacing back and forth on the raised ground. **_**This guy must be Team Plasma's leader, but then again, who in their right mind would follow him?! **_**Jinjira narrowed her eyes at Ghetsis, but it did nothing to affect him. **

**After all, what good would a Death Stare from a 16-year old girl have on a 40 year old 6 foot tall egotistic man? None.**

**Ghetsis walked over to a little girl, around 5 years old, holding a Lillipup in her arms. Both her and her Lillipup gazed in both astonishment and fear at him. **

**"Pokemon are subject to the selfish commands of trainers... they get pushed around when they are our 'partners at work," Ghetsis continued. The little girl started crying, and her mother shook her head, scolding Ghetsis without saying a single word. Ghetsis suddenly turned, facing everyone in the crowd.**

**"Can ANYONE say with confidence what I'm saying is completely false?" he asked, still watching Jinjira out of the corner of his eye. She thought about it, and, before she knew it, she spoke out from the crowd.**

**"Yeah. **_**I**_** can," **

**Everyone gasped and stared in astonishment at her, as if she'd done something and had been benished from Unova. Ghetsis looked as if he were forcing himself to stay calm.**

**"And what is your name?"**

**"I am Jinjira Black. I can stand up to you, Ghetsis, and I have something to say,"**

**Ghetsis forced a laugh, but immediately resumed his fiery-eyed stone-statue stare.**

**"Alright, Ms. Jinjira, why do you think I'm saying lies?"**

**"Not ALL Pokemon are mistreated. Look at me and Absol! Look at that little girl with her Lillipup! Look at all these people and their Pokemon! Do THEY look as if they're mistreated?!"**

**"Well! You certainly have a temper, don't you?" Ghetsis asked, forcing it into a laugh. **

**"No, genius, I'm a perfect little angel!" Jinjira snapped. **

**People in the crown went, 'Ooh!' as she made her way back into the crowd, whith Ghetsis still staring her down.**

**"Well? Go on with your pathetic, evil speech," Jinjira hissed through gritted teeth, waving her hand. Ghetsis gave her a split-second Death Stare, then resumed his speech, again, pacing back and forth along the raised ground. **

**"Now, Pokemon are different from Humans. They are living beings that contain unknown potential. We have much to learn from them. Tell me, what is our responsibility towards these being called Pokemon?" he asked. Jinjira held her breath, hoping no one would say, 'liberation' but there was only one word whispered among the crowd: 'Liberation?"**

**"That's right! We must liberate Pokemon! Then, and ONLY then, will Pokemon and People truly be equals! I implore you to consider your relationship with Pokemon," Ghetsis finished off, looking Jinjira dead in her eyes the entire time he said that last part. **

**Ghetsis vanished soon after he finished off this speech. Jinjira walked over to the banner Ghetsis's 'servants' forgot to bring with them. Absol chirped and pointed its horn to a ripped part of the cloth of the bottom of the banner. **

**"Your Absol...it just spoke," a voice said, shocking Jinjira.**

**She raised her head really fast, but it collided with the iron support bar on the bottom of the banner.**

**"O-ow! Damn!" she exclaimed, turning around to see the boy who said it. The boy was pretty tall, almost six feet, with wild green hair and unnatural blue eyes. **

**"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he laughed, grabbing her hand and pulling Jinjira to her feet in a flash. **

**"Wait a second, did you just say Absol spoke?" she asked, rubbing the back of her head where it collided with the iron support bar, still looking him in the eye. **

**"Yes...it's talking...," he said, literally milliseconds after she asked that. The boy talked incredibly fast, and Jinjira was barely able to understand him, **

**"Yes, I just did say Absol spoke. My name is N," he said, pulling off a heart-melting smile. She rolled her eyes, not allowing herself to fall for his charm, and looked back at the banner. **

**"THAT is what I was curious about. Those scratch marks on the bottom of the banner," Jinjira said, piointing to the bottom of it. N walked over. **

**"Was definitely a Pokemon that did this," he started. Jinjira almost smacked him.**

**"For what Team Plasma does, I don't blame them. Since the fire-" Jinjira stopped herself. N locked his gaze with hers. She felt the heat of that fire on Driftveil, the Team Plasma emblem in the flames...she shook it away. "Never mind." she finished herself. **

**N knew she wanted to say something else. He was curious, but didn't ask her about it. **

**"You never told me your name," N said without looking at her. Jinjira was shocked. **

**"Why SHOULD I tell you?!" she said, standing up and attempting to walk away. **

**Absol bounded up to N and chirped at him. N smiled.**

**"Jinjira, is it?" he asked. She stopped cold. How did he know? Jinjira turned to face N.**

**"How did you know?" she asked. **

**N looked at Absol, who had a smug grin. Jinjira shook her head. **_**I'll bet he was in the crowd when I told Ghetsis what for about Pokemon Liberation! **_**Jinjira thought to herself. She turned to N, who was still examining the torn banner. **

**"I think it was torn by a Zoroark," N started. Jinjira picked up the town fabric, not realizing how close N was to her. **

**"Definitely a Pokemon, but BECAUSE a Pokemon did this, I don't think Team Plasma are who they say they are," Jinjira said. N looked over at her. "I think you're right. A Pokemon wouldn't just tear apart a fabric just because it wants to," N began. Jinjira let the torn banner fall to the ground. N looked at Jinjira.**

**"What are you going to do now?"**

_**"**_** *scoffs* Find out what Team Plasma is REALLY up to, genius!"**

**N just smiled at her again. "Strange. Thats what I was planning to do," he said. Jinjira looked at N.**

**"Are you trying to flatter me? 'Cause it aint' working!" Jinjira said without thinking. N just smiled again. **

**"I could help you, you know," he started.**

**"Woah! Okay, lover boy, stop right there!" Jinjira stood up real quick and held her hand out. **

**"I'll find this out on my own, thank you very much!" she finished. Absol scoffed at N, then walked towards Straiton City with Jinira. **

B.T.W. I got the inspiration from another fanfiction I read. Anyway, please review and tell me what you think of it!


	2. Chapter 2

**"For the LOVE of ARCEUS, there are THREE of you?!" Jinjira yelped. She was in Straiton City Gym, and got a shock when she saw there were three Straiton City Gym Leaders. Jinjira crossed her arms, but still couldn't hide a grin. She loved shocking people like this. **

**"So, which one of you do I battle?" she asked. They all shrugged. "Any of us," they said. **

**"Can I battle ALL of you?" she asked, shocking them all. "Well...technically it's not AGAINST the rules...," the redheaded one said. Jinjira pretended to walk out.**

**"Alright, I get it. You're scared," she taunted them. THAT got their attention. She grinned, her back still turned to the triplets, who were now murmuring among themselves wether or nt to battle her. Being raised by Zoroarks, they taught her certain things she could say to manipulat thrm into doiung something she wanted them to do. She turned around and, as she expected, they immediately all agreed. **

**"Let's go,"**

_************************BATTLE SKIP************************_

**"You guys are too easy," Jinjira said, shaking her head but still laughed. They gave her the Trio Badge.**

**Absol had knocked their Pokemon all out with a Night Slash. She went on to the Dreamyard, where a pink mist caught her eye. She slid stealthily around corners until only a stone (and about to collapse) wall separated her and the pink mist. It was a Pokemon. **

**"Oh!" Jinjira cried out in surprise. Two shadows appeared on either side of the Pokemon making the pink mist. Quick as a Persian, Jinjira slinked back into the shadow of the soon-to-be collapsed stone wall. **

**"Come on, Munna! Make some Dream Mist!" one of them cried. It was a Team Plasma Grunt, she knew just by the sound of the voice. Soon, there was a loud THUD, then a weak cry that tugged Jinjira's heart. They had kicked Munna!**

**"You're KICKING a Pokemon just so you can get some damn Dream Mist?! REALLY?!" she snarled like a wild animal and stepped out of the shadows. The Grunts jumped several feet. **

**"Where the HELL did you come from?!"**

**"Your worst nightmares," Jinjira growled.**

**"Absol! Smokescreen!" Jinjira cried. In an instant, smoke surrounded the Dreamyard. Jinjira slung one into the wall (which knocked him out on impact.) A blue flame rose from her fingertips as she punched the other Grunt, almost cracking his jaw and making a second-degree burn. Both Grunts fell to the ground. Jinjira cried out and held her hand she punched the Grunt with. **_**I hope that was the damn grunt's nose and not my hand that cracked! **_**she thought. **

**"Are you two alright?" a voice asked. **

**The voice startled Jinjira, and she whirled around. "What the hell, N?!" she cried without thinking. N didn't answer, instead, walked over to Munna. **

**"Are you alright?" N asked Munna. It's usual loud sound was now quiet and barely audible, as if just making the sound drained Munna's energy, but N still heard it. **

**"Jinjira, YOU saved Munna?" N asked her. She rolled her eyes. "What the hell do YOU think?! I see one of those Grunts hurting a Pokemon, I'm gonna make them feel what the poor Pokemon felt!" she declared, cracking her knuckles, but cringng as she tried to crack her knuckles on her sore hand. **

**N smiled and walked over to her. "What happened to your hand?" he asked, taking her hand into his own. She tensed, and as she did, pain shot up her hand. However, she relaxed as the sudden drop in the temperature in N's hands seemed to soothe the pain in her hand. Absol chirped and tilted its head over to the unconscious Grunts on the ground.**

**"You punched a Grunt hard enough to knock him out and AND sprain your wrist?!"**

**"I'm no just a princess, just so you know!" Jinjira snapped back without thinking. N just smiled his usual heart-melting smile and put his hand on Jinjira's shoulder. She tensed again. Jinjira felt her blood run cold at N's touch. "You're tougher than I thought," he laughed. **

**"Like I said, I aint' a princess," Jinjira said, backing away. N locked his gaze with Jinjira's.**

**"Why do you think they needed the Dream Mist?" he asked her. Jinjira looked N in the eye.**

**"I heard them saying something about dreams and using their dreams to make people release Pokemon, and I punched that one Grunt, but I caught him just right on his jaw to sprain my hand," Jiniira said. "But it was worth it," she laughed. **

**"You say you aren't a princess, but I think you'd make a great one," N said, not looking at Jinjira. She smiled at the remark, but she didn't know why. She HATED being called a princess, yet when N said she'd be a good princess, why did she smile at the comment? **

**"If you're STILL trying to flatter me..." she growled under her breath, not intending for N to hear, though she was sure he did. The look N gave her shut her up before she could say anything else. A strange sensation came over her, like she was in a dream, similar to the effects of the move Hypnosis...**

**"I could come with you, you know," N started. Jinjira scoffed and looked at him. "Why?"**

**"Because there are probably thousands of followers of Ghetsis's, and I don't think you'd even make it through the first defense line," he shot back. The sensation grew stronger. She shrugged. **

**"All right," Jinjira said, but immediately shut her mouth after that. **_**Why the hell did I even SAY that?! **_**she scolded herself. N nodded, and the sensation dissapeared as quickly as it appeared. "Fine then, let's head for Nacrene City before those Grunts can get back," he said. Before she could even process what she just got herself into, they both went for Nacrene City. **


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

**As Jinjira and N were walking towards the next city, Jinjira stopped cold. "Do you hear that?" she asked N. He nodded. It was footsteps. Team Plasma footsteps. He knew without even turning around.**

**"Out of our way!"**

**N took Jinjira's shoulders and tossed her against a wall, and N did, too. Team Plasma Grunts ran past. Jinjira grabbed one's shoulder with her sprained hand without thinking. He was running so fast the sudden stop nearly dislocated his shoulder. He yelped and twisted her hand. She cried out and shot her hand back. They ran on.**

**"I was NOT expecting that," she said through gritted teeth. N took her hand again. She tensed. **

**"You may not want to punch another Grunt until your hand heals," he said. Jinjira smiled. "Yeah, like THAT will ever happen!" she grinned. The Grunts sped off towards a cave in the distance. **

**N looked at Jinjira. "Go after them?" he asked her. She smiled and nodded. "Read my mind," she said, immmediately dashing off, with Absol close behind, being several yards away before N processed the action to start running.**

**"This is Wellspring Cave," N said. The cave was dark, and Jinjira tried as much as she could to keep a distance from N, but it was nearly pitch black, and almost impossible to see.**

**A loud BANG sounded, and, quick as a Persian, N pulled Jinjira closer to him as footsteps came until the person was a few steps away from thebcorner where they were. He felt Jinjira tense. **

**"It's so dark in here, I can't see a thing!" a voice said. Both Jinjira and N tensed. It was a Grunt. A Grunt that was literally steps away fron them. **

**"Hang on one second, and Swoobat will use Flash."**

**"SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Swoobat screeched in protest. "Quick!" N said, pointing up to a upper cave they'd have to climb up to. Jinjira jumped to one rock, jumped to a higher one, and N watched as she ricocheted herself across several rocks, a clever yet very dangerous ( and also **_**incredibly **_**stupid) way to get to the top. N was definitely impressed. If he didn't know any better, he'd say this girl was a Pokemon herself! She climbed up about halfway and grabbed N's hand. He was up right as Swoobat reluctantly used Flash, illuming the entire cave. N still hid, but didn't see Jinjira jump down and currently sneaking behind them. He only saw her as she snuck up right behind them.**

**"Jinjira!" he said, his voice echoing across the cave and getting the Grunt's attention. N smacked his hand against his mouth after he said this and he ducked right as the Grunt looked his way.**

**"Jinjira? Who's Jinjira?"**

**"I am."**

**As she said that, she swept the Grunt's legs out from underneath him and threw a rock at his head, injuring him, and just punched the other Grunt hard enough to knock him to the ground. **

**"Well then, you won't be needing Swoobat anymore, Grunts," **

**"Who are you?!"**

**"I'm hell in human forme, genius."**

**As she said that, both Grunts were knocked out with a swift kick to the head. "Jinjira, really?" N said, jumping down from the rocky ledge. She grinned. "You said I shouldn't PUNCH a Grunt," she said. "How did you learn to fight like that?" N asked, walking towards her. **

**"Raised by Pokemon, Lucario trained me," she said, rewrapping the bandage around her sprained hand. "It's a long story," she finished. She froze as she felt the dreamlike sensation again. N put his hand on her shoulder. She stopped and tensed. **

**"Why do you do that?" he asked Jinjira. The question caught her off guard.**

**"Do what?"**

**"Whenever I come near you, you tense and act like you're about to punch me."**

**"I-," she was stunned by his question. "I...I'm not used to people being so close to me." Jinjira said, looking him in the eye. "You're claustrophobic, aren't you?" N asked her. She nodded. "Yes, very," she responded, but then face-palmed herself instantly after she said that. Why was she saying all these things?! It was as if she was being forced to say that! She started to walk away.**

**"Jinjira, wait!"**

**N suddenly grabbed her hand, effectively stopping her and getting her attention. "What?!" she said, now aggravated. Her sprained hand now held a bright blue spark, ready to smack him, she didn't care whether she hurt her hand worse or not. Immediately, N backed away. **

**"Swoobat! You found Swoobat!" a voice cried. Both of them turned to see a little girl, about 8 or 9, run up to Swoobat, who flew over to her. "Thank you so much for getting Swoobat from those mean people!" she said, almost in tears. **

**"You're welcome. Hey, want me to tell you something?" Jinjira asked, kneeling down beside the little girl. "What?" she asked, still sniffling. "Okay, if you see another one of those Grunts, give him a good punch in the jaw, okay?" she said, taking the little girl's fist and pretending to punch her with her own fist. The little girl grinned and danced away, imitating the same gesture Jinjira showed her a second ago. **

**"Really?" N said, shaking his head, but grinning at the same time. Jinjira smiled back at him. "What? The girl has to know how to fight back!" Jinjira defended herself, holding her hands up in mock defeat. N just laughed. **_**This girl's not afraid to fight! **_**N thought. Jinjira happened to look over and see Nacrene City's outline in the horizon. "Look, there's Nacrene City. Let's go," she said, but then turned around. "By the way, you better quit flirting with me!" Jinjira warned, but still grinned. **

**"Flirting? Is that what you call it?" N challenged her.**

**"Well, what would YOU call it?!"**

**"Arceus Jinjira, are you always like this?"**

**"Only when someone's flirting with me."**

**"Then I guess I am."**

**"My god N, PLEASE tell me you're not serious?!"**

**"Dammit Jinjira, just shut up and let's go to Nacrene City!" N tried to change the subject, but this was something Jinjira wouldn't shut up about. "You are just _asking_ to get punched right now," she growled. **

**She held her breath and walked to Nacrene City with N. **

**"I swear if you try anything...," Jinjira started. N turned to her.**

**"God, Jinjira, loosen up a bit, alright? I'm not going to try anyhting, if that's what you're afraid of," N held his hands up and gave her an innocent look, but that didn't work on her. Jinjira punched his arm. Hard. She warned him. **

**"I'm not **_**afraid **_**of you, dammit!" she hissed at him, punching him again. "I can both see and feel that!" N said, taking a step back. Jinjira rolled her eyes and walked into the Gym, which hapened to be a libraray, too. **


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4: All in the name of a skull**_

_**OK, yep, I know, lame title but I was suffering from a massive writer's block (which also explains the shortness of this chapter) but just bear with me, please!**_

* * *

**After Jinjira beat the Gym Leader, Lenora, she heard screaming. Intinctively, she and Lenora darted up the stairs to see Team Plasma Grunts, one with a burn on the side of his jaw. Jinjira knew this was the one she punched in the Dreamyard. They used Smokescreen and stole a skull from a skeleton that looked suspiciously similar to that of a Dragonite and ran. Jinjira dashed out and nearly ran into another man standing out there. A flame rose from her hand, hidden behind her back. **

**"Well, in a bit of a rush, are we?" he asked. This guy had crazy hair and an even crazier look in his dark green eyes. He looked at Lenora. "What's up?" he asked her. She looked about to smack him. "What's up? What's up?! Someone just waked away with an exhibit, that's what's up!" she cried, waving her hands around in the air. Jinjira put her hand on her shoulder, the spark on it snapping Lenoa's attention to her. "I'll get it back for you, alright?" she told her. **

**Jinjira dashed into Pinwheel Forest, where she lost her balance in a collapsing hollow tree. She grabbed on to the ledge and barely pulled herself up. **

**"Well, THAT was a rush!" she said to Absol, who pointed to the ground below. There was the Grunt from the Dreamyard again and another who dressed similar to Ghetsis, and she saw the Dragon skull in his hands. The Grunt was telling the higher-up in Team Plasma about the girl that almost broke his jaw in the Dreamyard. She slipped behind a large tree and listned to what sounded like an interrigation between the Grunt and the Team Plasma official:**

**"Who the hell did it, then?!"**

**"The same girl that punched me in the Dreamyard!"**

**"Dammit, Grunt, what did she look like?!"**

**"Uh...red hair, green eyes, she looked like a...uh...uhhh...dammit, I can't remember...she looked like a...,"**

**Jinjira stepped out of the shadows. "I looked like a **_**Zoroark**_**?" she finished the Grunt's statement, and he didn't know it was her, until a few seconds later.**

**"Yeah! She looks like a Zoro...WHAT?!" The Grunt yelped, jumping behind the 6-foot tall official. "Sage Gorm! T-t-that'sher! The girl with the fire punch!" he said. **_**Sometimes, it pays off to be able to do this, **_**Jinjira thought, evelpoing both hands in a blue fire. Both of them were astonished. **

**"Don't you know not to play with fire?" she asked them, shooting one fireball at the Grunt, hitting his shoulder, landing another second-degree burn. The Grunt cried out as Gorm watched her, astonished.**

**"Seems the Grunt was actually right about you," he began. Jinjira had her hand behind her back, a cobalt fireball sprang from her palm. Then, someone walked beside her. She tensed, instinctively extinguishing the flame.**

**"Well! I thought the Bug Pokemon were acting strange, and what do I spy with my little eye? This important-looking guy!" he declared, waving his arm around like a madman. Jinjira bit back a laugh. **

**"Baed on the fact he's dressed similar to Ghetsis, I'd say he's the same rank, yeah?" Jinjira asked. Gorm was impressed. **

**"How did you notice that?!" he yelped. **

**"I tend to notice many things, Sage Gorm. For example, I notice the Team Plasma emblem on the clasp on your cloak, or the burn on the Grunt's jaw," she began, suddenly tensing and clenching her fists, each hiding a spark. "That damn Grunt will have more than a burn if he doesn't get out from behind me!" she growled, already starting to turn around. He jumped out from her shadow and retreated behind Gorm. **

**Soon, though, a familiar face strode into the clearing. "Well, Ms. Jinjira!" the voice said. Jinjira's blood ran cold. Fiery red eyes met Emerald Green. Smirk met scowl.**

**Ghetsis.**

**He turned to Gorm. "We do not need the skull. We have done the research, and it is completely irrelevant to the task on hand," Ghetsis said to Gorm. He bowed his head and tossed the skull to Jinjira. She caught the skull with one hand. Gorm, Ghetsis, and the Grunt then vanished. Literally. Lenora came running up. "Oh, thank you so much for retrieving the skull back!" Lenora cried, immediately taking the skull. **

**Lenora gave Jinjira a Moon Stone on return. Jinjira went on to Castelia City.**


End file.
